Faced with a question that would never have a definitive answer, Peter quickly gave up thinking about it.
“Forget it.
If stopping bad things from happening makes me stronger, then I’d say this is the perfect special ability for Spider-Man, no matter which Multiverse he comes from.”
“Looks like today’s shaping up to be a pretty good day.”
“Wait…
Speaking of today, it’s the first day of school.
MJ is waiting for me…
Oh man, I can’t be too late.”
Peter raised his arm and pressed the button on his Web-Shooter, then swung through the morning light of New York City toward Midtown High School.
…
By the time Peter rushed through the gates of Midtown High School, the streamers celebrating the first day of school were the only things left fluttering forlornly in the air.
The empty school grounds reminded him that the opening-day assembly in the gym had already begun.
He could even hear Principal Wesley’s voice drifting on the wind as he delivered his speech over the microphone.
Thanks to his familiarity with Midtown High School’s layout, Peter quickly reached the gym’s back entrance.
He had barely slipped through the door in a crouch when he spotted Harry Osborn waving to him from among the crowd.
Still catching his breath, Peter sat down beside Harry Osborn, who immediately handed him a bottle of water.
“Forty-five minutes late.
Tell me, Peter Parker, are you still recovering from summer vacation jet lag?”
Peter unscrewed the cap and took a drink before answering.
“The bus got caught behind an accident.
I don’t need to explain how bad traffic on 42nd Street gets, do I?”
“I’m pretty sure this is the third time you’ve used that excuse.”
Harry Osborn laughed and patted Peter on the shoulder, letting the subject drop.
Mary Jane, seated in the row ahead, turned around and winked at Peter.
The worry that had been weighing on her finally eased.
What had happened at the bus stop that morning had left Mary Jane deeply concerned.
Fortunately, Peter had arrived in time.
Otherwise, she would have considered calling Aunt May.
Principal Wesley’s speech was as dull as ever, enough to make everyone drowsy.
Gwen Stacy leaned over from the other side, her golden ponytail brushing Peter’s shoulder.
“Peter, did you look at the experimental data I emailed you?
We need it as a reference for our summer homework.”
Only then did Peter remember, with some embarrassment, that he had not finished his summer homework.
“Right, I forgot to check my email.
I promise I’ll reply tonight!”
Gwen sighed and shook her head helplessly, though there was still a smile in her eyes.
The Midtown High School quartet continued whispering about what they had done over the summer.
Peter offered the occasional halfhearted response while his gaze unconsciously swept across the gym.
Students occupied nearly every row of seats.
Only one place was empty.
It belonged to Carl King.
Peter frowned and nudged Harry with his elbow.
“Harry, where’s Carl King?”
Harry glanced at the empty seat and shook his head.
“No idea.
Nobody’s been able to reach him.
He’s been missing for almost two weeks.
He hasn’t even posted on Facebook, and he’s usually obsessed with it.”
Peter’s expression immediately grew serious.
Carl King was a notorious bully at Midtown High School, and many students had suffered at his hands.
Had Peter not possessed the soul of a transmigrator and used a few scientific tricks to run circles around Carl King before becoming Spider-Man, he would have been one of Carl King’s targets as well.
But Carl King’s sudden disappearance was not good news.
That was because Carl King had another identity.
The Supervillain known as The Thousand.
On Earth-616, Carl King had witnessed Peter Parker being bitten by a Mutated Spider and discovered that Peter Parker was Spider-Man.
Driven by jealousy, Carl King found the Mutated Spider’s corpse and ate it, transforming into an obscure Supervillain whose body was composed of countless tiny spiders.
To prevent this universe’s Carl King from becoming The Thousand, Peter had deliberately avoided him on the day he was bitten by the Mutated Spider.
He had also recovered the spider’s corpse himself, ensuring that Carl King could never find it.
In theory, Carl King did not know Peter was Spider-Man and had no way to become The Thousand.
Even so, his sudden disappearance still left Peter uneasy.
“Maybe the principal forced him to transfer after too many students complained about him.
I’ll keep an eye on the situation.”
The opening-day assembly soon came to an end, and the students of Midtown High School settled into their normal class schedules.
Midtown High School held seven forty-five-minute classes each day.
Even with lunch included, school ended at three in the afternoon.
That was also why afternoons and evenings were Spider-Man’s busiest times for fighting crime.
From three to five, Peter once again became Spider-Man, moving through downtown New York and dealing with all kinds of criminals.
During that time, he also tested his newly acquired special abilities.
The duration of his Invisibility depended on three factors: his concentration, the extent of his movements, and his stamina.
If he remained completely still, he could stay invisible for more than an hour.
The strength of his Bio-Electricity, meanwhile, was directly tied to his stamina.
Unlike Electro’s Electricity Manipulation, Miles’s Bio-Electricity converted his body’s chemical energy into electrical energy before releasing it.
He could not simply “charge” himself or “store” electricity the way Electro could.
All things considered, both special abilities were extremely useful and greatly improved Peter’s overall combat effectiveness.
Invisibility in particular was practically a god-tier ability when used in the right situation.
At five thirty, Peter returned home on time, bringing the parsley and tomatoes Aunt May had asked him to buy.
Aunt May prepared a rich tomato and vegetable soup, served with pan-fried fish fillets and penne pasta.
It was an exceptionally delicious dinner.
After eating, Peter threw himself onto his bed and mentally summoned the Web of Life and Destiny, which only he could see, continuing his study of its mysterious power.
Each activation of the Web of Life and Destiny was followed by a seven-day interval.
Before embarking on another journey through the Multiverse, Peter would have to wait patiently for those seven days to pass.
“Seven days should be enough time to rest properly and get back into shape.”
“First, I need to finish my summer homework.
Then Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man can head out to patrol the streets.”
…
At ten that night, Spider-Man appeared atop the Empire State Building.
Looking out over New York from the top of the iconic landmark was one of the few chances Spider-Man had to relax during the day.
Tonight, however, an uninvited guest interrupted his brief moment of peace.
Cold wind howled through the darkness as a hazy shimmer flowed through the air like water.
A moment later, a massive aircraft bearing the S.H.I.E.L.D.
emblem materialized in the sky, hovering like a silent steel beast.
An African-American man descended on a cable.
He wore a black trench coat, with a bald head, a full beard, and a black eye patch covering his right eye.
It was Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D.
“Spider-Man, we need to talk.”